Tyler Handmade

Worlds Largest Sand Castles (?)

2011-03-22T16:46:00.000-05:00

Spring is here. Which means spring break. Which means beaches. Which means sand castles!! When I was a kid I loved making castles in the sandbox and occasionally on the beach. The problem is....they never looked like actual castle. On the other hand, some people, given the chance, can put together on heck of a castle made of sand. Here's what I've found online.

How are you at building sandcastles?

Etsy Finds: The Power of Purple

2011-03-20T16:38:00.001-05:00

Purple is my favorite color. It's the color of royalty and looks beautiful in nearly every shade. Here are some beautiful purple items that I found on Etsy!

Silk and Merino Sock Yarn by 19projects

POP Clock by whitevan

Purple Mini Purse by TylerHandmade

Satin Peacock Pumps by LaPlumeEthre

Click to see 12 more beautiful purple items on Etsy, hand-picked by me in my treasury, The Power of Purple

(TWEET it if you LIKE it! :)

Bible Study #1: Is There Anything Left You Can Trust? (Part 2 of 3)

2011-03-19T19:35:00.003-05:00

Amazing Facts Online Bible Studies
Bible Study #1: Is There Anything Left You Can Trust? Part 1

6.	Are the historical statements of the Bible accurate?

The Bible says, "I the Lord speak the truth, I declare what is right." Isaiah 45:19, RSV.*

Ancient artifacts unearthed by archaeologists repeatedly confirm the accuracy and truth of the Bible.

Answer: Yes, Bible historical statements are accurate. What God says in His book is true. Sometimes, temporarily, evidence may not be found to substantiate certain historical facts from the Bible, but in time the evidence surfaces. Note the following:

A. For years skeptics said the Bible was unreliable because it mentions the Hittite nation (Deuteronomy 7:1) and cities like Nineveh (Jonah 1:1, 2) and Sodom (Genesis 19:1), which they denied ever existed. But now modern archaeology has confirmed that all three did, indeed, exist.

B. Critics also said that Bible-mentioned kings Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1) and Sargon (Isaiah 20:1) never existed. Once again, it has now been confirmed they did exist.

C. Skeptics also said the Bible record of Moses was not reliable because it mentions writing (Exodus 24:4) and wheeled vehicles (Exodus 14:25), neither of which they said existed at the time. They, of course, know better today.

D. At one time the 39 kings of ancient Israel and Judah who reigned during the divided kingdom were authenticated only from the Bible record, so critics charged fabrication. But then archaeologists found cuneiform records that mentioned many of these kings and, once again, the Bible record was proved accurate. Critics have repeatedly been proved wrong as new discoveries confirm biblical people, places, and events. It will always be so.

7.	One of the greatest miracles of the Bible is its unity. Please ponder the following amazing facts:

Answer:

A. The 66 books of the Bible were written:
1. On three continents.
2. In three languages.
3. By about 40 different people (kings, shepherds, scientists, attorneys, an army general, fishermen, priests, and a physician).
4. Over a period of about 1,500 years.
5. On the most controversial subjects.
6. By people who, in most cases, had never met.
7. By authors whose education and background varied greatly.

B. Yet, though it seems totally inconceivable,
1. The 66 books maintain harmony with each other.
2. Often new concepts on a subject are expressed, but these concepts do not undermine what other Bible writers say on the same subject.

C. Talk about astounding!
Ask people who have viewed an identical event to each give a report of what happened. They will differ widely and will virtually always contradict each other in some way. Yet the Bible, penned by 40 writers over a 1,500-year period, reads as if written by one great mind. And, indeed, it was: "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. The Holy Ghost "moved" them all. He is the real Bible Author. The four Gospels do sometimes differ in the way they report the same event, but they complement each other.

8.	What evidence of Bible inspiration is found in the lives of people?

Accepting Christ and obeying Scripture changes a drunken, immoral, profane sinner into a loving, sober, pure Christian. Skeptics cannot explain this fact.

The Bible says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Answer: The changed lives of those who follow Jesus and obey Scripture constitute the most heartwarming proof of Bible inspiration. The drunkard becomes sober; the immoral, pure; the addicted, free; the profane, reverent; the fearful, courageous; and the rude, kind.

An American skeptic was visiting an island whose natives were originally cannibals. When he spotted an old man reading the Bible, he ridiculed him for reading a book "full of myths which had already been exposed." The native smiled at him and said, "My friend, be grateful we do believe this book. Otherwise, we would be serving you for dinner." The Bible really does change people, and this amazing fact confirms its inspiration.

9.	What evidence for Bible inspiration emerges when we compare Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah with New Testament happenings in the life of Jesus?

The Bible says, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He [Jesus] expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:27. "For he [Apollos] vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ." Acts 18:28, NKJV.*

Answer: The Old Testament predictions of the Messiah to come were so specific and so clearly fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth that both Jesus and Apollos used these prophecies to prove to the Jews that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah. There are more than 125 of these prophecies. Let's review just 12 of them:

Prophecy	Old Testament Scripture	New Testament Fulfillment
1. Born in Bethlehem	Micah 5:2	Matthew 2:1
2. Born of a virgin	Isaiah 7:14	Matthew 1:18-23
3. Of David's lineage	Jeremiah 23:5	Revelation 22:16
4. Attempted murder by Herod	Jeremiah 31:15	Matthew 2:16-18
5. Betrayal by a friend	Psalms 41:9	John 13:18, 19, 26
6. Sold for 30 silver coins	Zechariah 11:12	Matthew 26:14-16
7. Crucified	Zechariah 12:10	John 19:16-18, 37
8. Lots cast for His clothes	Psalms 22:18	Matthew 27:35
9. No bones broken	Psalms 34:20; Exodus 12:46	John 19:31-36
10. Buried in rich man's tomb	Isaiah 53:9	Matthew 27:57-60
11. Year, day, hour of His death	Daniel 9:26, 27; Exodus 12:6	Matthew 27:45-50
12. Raised the third day	Hosea 6:2	Acts 10:38-40

Jesus fullfilled more than 125 Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.

Dr. Peter Stoner, former chairman of the departments of mathematics, astronomy, and engineering at Pasadena College (California), worked with 600 students for several years applying the "principle of probability" to the prophecies of the Messiah's coming. They chose just eight from the many available and finally decided the chances of all eight being fulfilled in one man in a lifetime is one in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. What would the odds be on the more than 125 prophecies of the Messiah? It couldn't just happen!

If you have any questions, leave them as a comment and I'll do my best to answer them. If I don't know the answer, I'll find someone who does. Have a great weekend! :)

WHY ME?! Embarassing Teen Stories

2011-03-18T11:25:00.001-05:00

“I was 13 and I had just bought my first real high heels! They were pretty high, but I wore them everywhere. One day.. as I descended down a steep hill, I fell and ROLLED down the hill. The rest of the day, everyone who was with me kept asking if I needed help walking in my heels. Ugh.”

"I was working at an after-school event for a committee with the guy that I have a crush on. We were in the teacher’s lounge filling envelopes when suddenly I got a paper cut on my finger. It was no big deal, so I went over to the sink to wash it out. We were joking around, and he came over to me and gave me a surprise hug while I was smiling. So I hugged him back, and when I pulled away, my braces were caught onto his shirt. I was completely embarrassed and he ran away telling the whole committee what just happened."

"I was in a rush to get out of class because the bell to go to the next period rang, so I ran up to my teacher’s desk to get a paper signed. When she signed it, I whipped around to leave and knocked over her picture frame AND made her drink fall all over her! To make matters worse, my crush was standing behind me waiting to get his paper signed!"

“In French class, we were told to study with partners for a test. I got paired up with my crush, and we ended up flirting. Finally, I got up the nerve to ask if he’d be interested in going out with someone like me. He paused and I got so nervous waiting that I let out a gigantic fart! Everyone stared at me and laughed!”

From Seventeen.com

(TWEET it if you LIKE it :)

Funny Picture: "Parenting is easy"

2011-03-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

Random Act of Kindness: Operation Beautiful

2011-03-16T11:33:00.001-05:00

I love doing random acts of kindness, especially the kind that make people feel better about themselves! Operation Beautiful's mission is "to end negative self-talk or 'Fat Talk.'" and to "[help] readers realize how truly toxic negative self-talk is — it hurts you emotionally, spiritually, and physically."

To participate in Operation Beautiful, all you have to do is write a positive note such as "You Are Beautiful!" or "You're wonderful, don't change a thing!" Leave these notes anywhere you think women will see them. Public restrooms, gyms, grocery stores, and even fashion magazines are great places to start. If you email a picture of your note to operationbeautiful@gmail.com they'll put it up on their website!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, and remember: You're Beautiful! :)

(TWEET it if you LIKE it!)

How-To Tuesday: DIY Cupcake Stands!

2011-03-15T09:49:00.000-05:00

Cost: About $2

What you need: plates,small vases, and a glue gun.

Tutorial: Last Train to Pooksville

Have a happy Tuesday! :)

My Piece of Pi

2011-03-14T17:48:00.002-05:00

Pi T-shirt by darkcycleclothing

Pi iPhone case by LOVEofMIN3

Pi Tie by buffalonerdproject

Catnip Toy by heartfeltwool

Pi Pie Necklace by incrediblejewelry

Happy Pi Day!

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Bible Study #1: Is There Anything Left You Can Trust? (Part 1 of 3)

2011-03-11T18:00:00.003-06:00

Amazing Facts Online Bible Studies

In these morally challenged times when it seems that there is nothing and no one at all that you can trust, you can trust the Bible! Why? Well lets take a look at the evidence.

1. What does the Bible claim about itself?

The Bible says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." 2 Timothy 3:16. "Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. "The scripture cannot be broken." John 10:35.

Answer: It claims to be inspired. It was written by men who were guided by the Holy Ghost. It cannot be broken or proved untrue.

2. How did Jesus demonstrate His confidence and belief in Scripture?

Jesus quoted the Bible and stated that it was true.

Jesus said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone." "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matthew 4:4, 7, 10. "Thy word is truth." John 17:17.

Answer: Jesus quoted Scripture when meeting the temptations of Satan. He also stated that the Bible is truth (John 17:17). Jesus often quoted Scripture as authority for the truth He was teaching.

3.	Do Bible prophecies confirm inspiration?

Before Cyrus was born, God's Bible prophet named him as the general who would overthrow Babylon.

The Bible says, "I am the Lord . . . new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." Isaiah 42:8, 9. "I am God . . . Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done." Isaiah 46:9, 10.

Answer: Bible predictions of things to happen in the future confirm the inspiration of Scripture as they come to pass. Notice the following examples of fulfilled Bible prophecies:

A. Four world empires to arise: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8).
B. Cyrus to be the warrior to capture Babylon (Isaiah 45:1-3).
C. After Babylon's destruction, it would never be inhabited again (Isaiah 13:19, 20; Jeremiah 51:37).
D. Egypt would never again have a commanding position among the nations (Ezekiel 29:14, 15; 30:12, 13).
E. Earth-shaking calamities and fear toward the end of time (Luke 21:25, 26).
F. Moral degeneracy and decline of spirituality in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

4.	Can we expect scientific statements made in the Bible to be accurate?

The Bible says, "Thy word is true from the beginning." Psalms 119:160. "The Spirit . . . will guide you into all truth." John 16:13.

Answer: Yes, the Bible is true. The Holy Spirit, who guided the Bible writers, always speaks the truth. Here are a few Bible statements that have been confirmed by science:

A. "He . . . hangeth the earth upon nothing." Job 26:7. This scientific fact is from Job, the Bible's oldest book.
B. "He . . . sitteth upon the circle of the earth." Isaiah 40:22. The Bible said the earth is round centuries before man found out.
C. "To make the weight for the winds." Job 28:25. Long before scientists knew, God said air has weight.
D. "By Him [Jesus] all things consist." Colossians 1:17. The word "consist" here literally means "hold together" or "cohere." Many Bible translations put it "hold together." This is the answer to the nuclear physicists' worrisome question about the atom. The real mystery of the atom does not involve its benumbing mega-power, but rather, "Why doesn't the atom fly apart?" Scientific knowledge says it should, but it doesn't. Some scientists are wondering what puzzling power, completely unknown to them, is holding it together. The Bible says that mysterious power is the Creator, God Himself.

5.	Are biblical health principles tuned to the twenty-first century mind?

The terrible plague of AIDS would not exist if God's ancient laws regarding morality were obeyed.

Answer:
A. Cover body waste with dirt (Deuteronomy 23:12, 13).
The Bible provision of Moses' day that body waste should be buried was 3,500 years ahead of its time and saved countless thousands of Jewish lives. Major problems still arise when sanitation is not properly handled.

B. "Neither let us commit fornication." 1 Corinthians 10:8.
The word "fornication" denotes all kinds of immoral sexual conduct. There would be no AIDS epidemic if this up-to-date Bible counsel were obeyed, nor would abortion be the international scandal that it now is.

C. Leave alcoholic beverages alone (Proverbs 23:29-32).
If this extremely effective Bible solution were implemented, just think what it would mean:

Refusing to abstain from alcohol has brought untold woe to many.

1. Millions of alcoholics becoming sober, respectable citizens.
2. Millions of families reunited.
3. Millions of broken homes mended.
4. Multiplied thousands of lives saved by sober driving.
5. Thousands of government, business, and professional leaders making clear-minded decisions.
6. Billions of dollars available for humanitarian use.

If you have any questions, leave them as a comment and I'll do my best to answer them. If I don't know the answer, I'll find someone who does. Have a great weekend! :)

WHY ME?! Purse Horror Stories

2011-03-11T00:13:00.002-06:00

In honor of my new purse listing, these horror stories all involve purses. Enjoy! (but not too much :P)

Today, I went shopping with a friend. She picked up a hundred dollars on the floor that somebody dropped. I told her, "I feel sorry for the retard who dropped the money." When I got home, I checked my purse and realized that I was missing a hundred dollars. -Anonymous, Canada

Today, I was relaxing on the couch after a long day with my annoying aunt when I heard my sister come in from the garage. I loudly asked, "Do you think Aunt Stacy knows everybody doesn't like her?" It wasn't my sister. It was my aunt returning my purse I had left in her car. -katara, NJ

Today, I was getting off the bus, when these two guys behind me started commenting on my bag, oblivious to the fact that I could hear them say, "Look at his ugly man-purse," and "It that looks like the satchel that Indiana Jones has". I'm a girl. Who is planning majoring in fashion studies. -Indiana, Canada

Today, I was helping my friend pack her carry on for her vacation. I drove her to the airport, and after her plane took off, I noticed I put my cell phone in her purse. Her vacation is 2 months long. -Anonymous, California

Today, I fainted on the sidewalk. When I woke up, I was still lying on the sidewalk, people were stepping over me and my purse was gone. -blackedout, Singapoe

A Red Pump, Red Tie Affair

2011-03-09T19:04:00.002-06:00

Today's blog post is brought to you by The Read Pump Project :)

Every year, the United States recognizes March 10th as National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD). It’s a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on women & girls and encourages ladies to take action. While progress has definitely been made in the areas of AIDS prevention and treatment, women still represent 27% of all new AIDS diagnoses, with African-American women accounting for 66% of that group. This year focuses on this statistic, “Every 35 minutes, a woman tests positive for HIV in the United States.”

Will you rock the red pump tomorrow for HIV/AID awareness? Even better, go out and get tested! Guys can participate by wearing a red tie :)

Blouse: Belk

Jeans: Wet Seal

Pumps: Charlotte Russe

New Listing! Purple Bangle Mini Purse

2011-03-08T19:39:00.001-06:00

Its been a long time since I've added something to the shop, so I'm super excited! You can find the link to the listing here, and since you're following me, you get to see ALL of the photos--not just the 5 photo limit on Etsy.

Here's the description:

This purse was designed to keep your valuables close to you while doubling as a stylish accessory. This little purse dangles from your wrist, keeping it safe from straying hands at all times.

Its just big enough for you have the bare necessities on hand for a party, wedding, or other social event.

Ease your mind during the hours before a flight by keeping your passport, boarding pass, and cellphone safely tucked away in a tiny bag on your wrist.

And the photos:

Oh, and about the name. "Purple Bangle Mini Purse"--I'm not really sure about it. Any suggestions? It has to be descriptive, and with words that people would search for, so an obscure name won't do. What would you name this purse?

Cool Graphic Tees

2011-03-07T19:03:00.002-06:00

A girl can never have too many graphic tees....at least that's what I tell myself when I'm at the mall. Here are some really cool tees I found while clicking away online. Enjoy!

Oh Whale by TrueSanctuary

Geometric Cityscape by kimmchi

Diana Vintage Camera by happyfamily

Carbon Cycle by nonfictiontees

Team Jesus by JCLU

Third Outfit: Stripy Cardi

2011-03-04T13:12:00.003-06:00

I think I may me getting a little better at this outfit post thing. Watch me strike a fashion blog pose:

Not too bad, eh?

I think I was in the process of smiling when the camera's timer went off. Lol. Live a little, learn a little.

Cardigan, Graphic Tee, and Jeans: Wet Seal

Flats and stocking-socks: Walmart

Deutschland

2011-03-03T20:38:00.001-06:00

I just looked at my stats and saw that I have several readers coming from Germany. Hello Germany!

For my other readers, here's a few fun facts about Germany:

1.There are over 82 million persons living in Germany. And that, for a land about the size of Montana, U.S.A.(Germany is 357,021 km2, slightly less than Montana). Making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

2. Even though there are that many people living in Germany, the Germans have succeeded in keeping almost 1/3 (31%) of the country covered with forests and woodlands. And, as you rarely see buildings on top of the mountains, you have the feeling of being surrounded by green vegetation and of wilderness close by. Which makes Germany one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. (source)

3.Over 150 castles exist in Germany, making it one of the most castle-populated countries in the world. Many are used as hotels, but most are still being habited by the rich.

4.Germany is the birthplace of the Garden gnome. They were first crafted and displayed sometime in the 1800's in Germany and soon spread across Europe and eventually around the world.

5.The Germany highways, commonly called Autobahns, contain no speed limit.

6. Germany has more than 400 officially recognized zoos, which is the most in the world. If you included wildlife parks, aquariums and other natural reserves or parks, you can visit almost 700 registered zoos and gardens. (source)

As for my readers in Germany, I don't speak German, but I'd love to read some comments from you! :)

Bezüglich meiner Leser in Deutschland spreche ich German nicht, aber ich würde lieben, einige Anmerkungen von Ihnen zu lesen! :)

Purse Teaser pics

2011-03-02T18:34:00.000-06:00

Just another glimpse of what's soon to come to my shop

How-To Tuesday: Ice Cream Stick Box

2011-03-01T09:45:00.000-06:00

Everyone wants an excuse to eat popsicles. This cute DIY project is a great reason! I know, I'm just enabling you. Don't you love it? :P

All you need for this project are popsicle sticks and glue! Go to MaNiKa to view the tutorial.

In the mean time, start saving those popsicle sticks!

Mmmmm

WHY ME?! Life Horror Stories

2011-02-26T18:46:00.000-06:00

Today, I painted an area I had carefully sanded, cleaned, and taped off. I pulled a fan out of the closet to help dry it faster. I turned the fan on, and a million dust particles flew off onto the wet paint. -Carmen, Ohio.

Today, I cheated on my math exam. I still failed. -hopeless, New York

Today, I had to present a powerpoint infront of my class. When I was finished, no one clapped. On my way back to my seat, I slipped on a pencil and fell straight on my face. That's when everyone clapped. -Franigirl, Virginia.

Today, I lost a glove while snowboarding. I got off my board to find it, when a bunch of kids took the opportunity to kick my snowboard down the hill, while yelling "Run, Forrest, run!" as I frantically chased after it. -gumpy, New Hampshire

Today, I asked out a girl I like to a movie. She said "I hate babysitting." -Anonymous, Egypt

Today, I took a picture of myself and put it on Facebook. After I did so, I realized that in the background, you can see my crush's Facebook page up on my laptop. He tagged himself. -Anonymous, Connecticut

Today, I went on a date with a guy who seemed to be quite the gentleman. I was proven wrong when he told me to "shut it" during dinner, stiffed me on the bill, and then left me at the restaurant so he could get his own taxi home. -Ohdear, United Kingdom

Worlds Most Awesome Alarm Clocks!

2011-02-25T10:55:00.002-06:00

These alarm clock all have clever solutions for people who find themselves hit the snooze button and falling back into deep sleep. I love the creativity used in them!!

These two are my favorites

This one isn't actually something you can buy, but it MUST be the most effective! lol

Have a great weekend! :)

Undiscovered Etsians!

2011-02-24T19:13:00.002-06:00

Here are some great items made by Etsy sellers patiently awaiting their first sales :)

Black Pearl and Rossette Heaband by RosesbyRolfe

Carved Wooden Wall Clock by TheDoleceks

Hand Crocheted White Doily by GoldenLucyCrafts

Raindrops on Wild Peavine 5 x 7 Print by natureshots

Serving Tray by DolceHome

Hand Dyed Sock Yarn by AtKnitsEndYarns

Second Outfit: Knee-high chucks

2011-02-23T20:30:00.001-06:00

I had tennis class today. Most people wear sweats to tennis, and most people would wear these crazy high chucks with jeans...but I'm not most people.

Cardigan: 1955 Vintage at Sears

T-shirt: Wet Seal

Dress: No boundaries at Walmart

Shoes: Airwalk at Payless

Coming Soon To Tyler Handmade...

2011-02-22T20:11:00.002-06:00

Bags, bags, and more fabulous BAGS!

Pretty soon the focus of my Etsy shop with be purses ONLY. Right now, I'm working on some clutches for prom/formal season, and then I'll be making plenty regular sized handbags as well. My plan is to clearance out my shop and fill it with handbags. So if you love something, don't wait to buy it. Once its gone, it will be GONE. However, if you really really want me to make you something other than a handbag, send me a message and we'll talk about creating custom order for you.

So like I said, I'm getting rid of everything in my shop and there will be a sale soon, so stay tuned to this blog, my Twitter, and my Facebook page (find the links to those on the left<<<)

Here's an example of what my upcoming handbags will look like. I just sold this one today!! Complete with bamboo handles and a magnetic snap :)

What I Wore: My First Outfit Post

2011-02-21T16:00:00.000-06:00

I've been reading a few fashion blogs lately, so I decided to try out posting one of my outfits too. I broke a couple of fashion rules today. I wore a bright cardigan over a bright top. I also wore a dress over jeans. Here were the results:

Sorry you guys, I'm not a professional model OR photographer. Taking pictures of yourself is hard! Especially when you're trying to fit the whole outfit in. Anyways, what I've learned from this is that breaking fashion rules isn't always beneficial. I didn't really like how this one turned out after looking at the pictures. Plus the tube dress kept slipping down while I was playing tennis today (thank goodness for the t-shirt underneath!). Oh yeah, and I think this outfit makes my look kinda preggers. >_< Oh well, another day, another outfit.

Red cardigan: Madison from Belk

White Tee: Gap

Dress: Wet Seal

Jeans: Xhilaration from Target

Shoes: Puma from Sams

Sunday Mall Run!

2011-02-20T18:37:00.000-06:00

I got a chance to go shopping with my shopaholic friend Marsha today :) I decided beforehand that I wasn't going to spend more than $50.....i ended up spending about $62. >_< Not TOO far off, but overbudget nonetheless. I make myself feel better by saying I really did need everything I bought though :P Anyway, here's what I got!

1. Black sandals from Wet Seal ($12.80).

2. Something from Victoria's Secret PINK. If Victoria can keep it a secret, I think I will too. I'd rather than post a picture of my unmentionables for the world to see. Undertandable, right? :P (Free with coupon)

3. A gorgeous red pair of heels from Charlotte Russe ($35).

4. A ruffly hot pink wallet from Body Central ($9.80).

This time was different, because I usually don't buy things for retail price, but nothing I really really liked (and needed) was on sale today. And there were President's Day sales going on too! Oh well, better luck next time.

Motivational LOLcat

2011-02-19T19:18:00.002-06:00

WHY ME!? Valentine's Day horror stories

2011-02-18T10:35:00.001-06:00

Yeah, I know know Valentine's day was Monday, but while you were out eating chocolates and sniffing flowers, some people were having an awful time! ...And now I'm sharing their stories with you for you to enjoy :)

Today, I was in class when someone came in with a rose for me. My teacher made me read the card aloud: "I'm breaking up with you, happy Valentines." It was from my boyfriend. FML -Sexyredhead, US

Today, I got a text from a girl that I've had a crush on for a long time, asking me out to dinner. I agreed and went to the restaurant. Not long afterwards, I got text from her saying something had come up, so she couldn't make it. As I was walking back to my car, I saw her walk into the same restaurant with another guy. FML -Saberwolf, Oregon

Today, I received my first Valentine's day present ever: a dead mouse from my cat. FML -lex31, US

Today, I had to resign myself to the fact that while everyone else will be seeing their boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife on Valentine's Day, I will only be seeing my dentist. FML. -Haley

Today, I lost the beautiful necklace my boyfriend gave me for Valentine's day. I looked everywhere, and couldn't find it. My sister held the bag while I dug through the stinking trash, then after I cleaned everything up, took it out of her pocket and said she was pretending it was lost. FML -beezybees, California

Today, I arranged to have some flowers delivered at work for Valentine's Day so that my colleagues will think someone likes me. FML. -Alone, Australia

Today, I realised that every morning my girlfriend gets me to help her put on a locket her ex-boyfriend bought her on Valentine's Day. FML -Anonymous, Canada

Today, after 22 years of perfect skin, I woke up with a bunch of angry zits on my nose. I used a clay face mask that was supposed to dry them out. Instead, they were bigger and green. Today is Valentine's day, I finally have a guy to go out with, and my nose looks like it's rotting off. FML -zitgirl, California

Today, my grandma sent me a Valentine's Day card. For years she's been hinting at me to lose weight. The card: a picture of cookies on the front and a gym membership inside. FML -bcca, Ohio

Flash Your Yarn Stash 2011

2011-02-17T13:31:00.005-06:00

A lot of you were surprised when I flashed my yarn stash last year. Well I think this year it's actually grown! Take a look:

This is where I keep most of my yarn. I have to keep my yarn on high ground away from the kitty.

The rest go in cute little vases and things like this.

Here's all of it in one spot!

Works in Progress

2011-02-16T16:16:00.000-06:00

I have at least six knitting/crochet projects going on right now *Sigh* Actually, more than that, I think--but I've stopped working on those so long ago they're in hibernation now, so they don't count. lol. Well here they are, in the order that I started making them.

This one is "Ultra Femme" from Debbie Stoller's "Stitch n' B*tch Nation" book. Its gonna be a pretty sweater for me to wear to church. :) As of now though, its been on hold for about a month because of the next two projects I'm working on. The yarn is GGH Samoa.

This one is "Heart" from Knitty.com.

(its a PDF, scroll down for the pattern) I'm making it as sort of a winter-spring transition scarf. The yarn is the oh-so-yummy Noro Silk Garden ^_^

This project is almost done! Its a simple crocheted bag. No pattern. One girl at my school hired me to omake it for her after she saw the knitting bag that I made. Now all I have left to do is line it, add a magnet closure, and sew on the handles :)

The rest of the WIPs are blankets, so I'll leave those for another day ;) Happy Wednesday!

How-to Tuesday:Alchemy Bookends

2011-02-15T11:47:00.000-06:00

Who knew that you could turn a pile of plain ol' rocks into a pair beautiful gold bookends! This tutorial is brought to you by Design Sponge.

Here's what you'll need for this project:

Supplies

rocks of all different shapes and sizes (make sure to get several that are flat on two sides)
metallic gold spray paint
hot glue sticks
industrial strength glue such as liquid nails #3 or E6000
gold leaf adhesive and gold leaf
weighted cardboard box (You can fill the box with books!)

Tools

hot glue gun
toothpicks
old paint brush
soft brush
soap and dirty toothbrush

Click here to find the full instructions and soon you'll have this:

Turn into this!

Build a Bunny

2011-02-14T16:27:00.000-06:00

Got this cute Build a Bear bunny from my boyfriend for Valentine's day :) So adorable!

His name is Cuddles :)

I think he's kind of a gangster

I Miss You...Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-14T00:39:00.000-06:00

by Jolie Marche

I Miss You Terribly This Day of Love

by Dimitri Shostakovich

I miss you terribly this day of love,
Miss you with a wound that stabs and aches.
I see the love around me, and it takes
So much strength simply just to move.
Soon, soon, my love, this waiting will be done.
You and I will have what we desire.
On days like this we'll sit beside the fire,
Undoing all the pain of days long gone.

Dedicated to Vivin <3 I love you sweetheart.

Sunday Giveaways!

2011-02-13T19:43:00.001-06:00

Soul Food Mug

Prize: Soul Food Mug

Prize value: $16
Number of winners: 1
Ending date of the giveaway: 02/19/2011
Where it can be won: Worldwide
The prize is from: silentmoments.etsy.com
To enter this giveaway, you can: Leave a comment, Blog/tweet/etc. about it, Follow/fan a blog/fb page, etc.

Click here to enter!

Vinyl Wall Decal Set
(I really love this. My room is that same color, so it would look awesome!)

*Win (Prize):: Vinyl Wall Decal Set - Tree and Birds
*From (Shop):: Janey Mac (janemacpress.etsy.com)
*End date (Last day to enter):: 02/18
*Open to (Restrictions):: US Residents
Click here to enter!

The Caramel Jar

*Win (Prize):: THE CARAMEL JAR - SAMPLER OF MIXED CARAMELS - 3 WINNERS!
*From (Shop):: Sampler Village - The Blog
*End date (Last day to enter):: 02/16
*Open to (Restrictions):: US Residents
Click here to enter!

FAIL of the day

2011-02-12T21:10:00.002-06:00

8 Things to do on a Snow Day

2011-02-10T13:32:00.001-06:00

This is me, way back when :)

I woke up this morning to find that there was ice on the roads and that classes were cancelled until 10am. So I went back to sleep. Later when I was getting dressed for my 10 o'clock class, I got a text from the school that said that classes where cancelled for the day. SNOW DAAAAY! Here's a list of seven things to do if you find yourself stuck at home on a snow day.

1. Take a long shower. This is the first thing I did when I found out the news (after the happy dance of course). Usually my showers are short and rushed, but not today :)

2. Build a snow man

3. Play catch up. Are you behind in your schoolwork? Laundry? Knitting? Dishes? DVRed television shows? Today is your chance to get caught up!

4. Do some spring cleaning. I don't know if it's just me, but I can't be happy when my world is in chaos. Sadly though...it usually is. So today I'm definitely going to take some time to get my room in order. There's a place for everything, and everything should be in its place, I always say.

5. Do some online shopping. It's always nice to shop on your day off, but since you'll be stuck inside on a snow day, you can shop online instead. By the way, I know of this cute little online shop called Tyler Handmade, you should check it out. Wink wink ;)

6. Read a book. Its rare for many people to find enough time to curl up with a good book. Hey, if you're snowed in, why not? I recommend Hide in Plain Sight or Stuck in the Middle. I've read them both on Kindle for free and you can download a Kindle app for just about anything from PC to Android :) (Sorry for the infomercial, but I <3 my Kindle.)

7. Exercise. Get your heart pumping with an exercise tape. If you don't have one, this website has some great videos.

8. Do some DIY projects. If you click on the DIY tag on my blog, you'll find plenty of great projects to try.

Now I'm off to catch up on some knitting!

("Ultra Femme" from the book "Stitch n' B*tch Nation by Debbie Stoller)

Etsy Finds: Black History Items

2011-02-09T11:21:00.001-06:00

Handmade Leather Bag (Martin Luther King) by Walimay

Rosa Parks 11x17 Print by Senioritis

George Washington Carver Switchplate by TackiedAndShakled

Harriet Tubman Stamp Pendant by WitchHazelHandmades

Nelson Mandela T-shirt by TeeRevolutionary

Malcolm X Scrabble Pendant by francinagirard

"I Am Not A Perfect Man" Obama Lithograph by Metaphorchid

WHY ME? Christmas Horror Stories

2010-12-04T22:26:00.000-06:00

Today, I asked my boyfriend what he wanted for Christmas. He then told me that he would only tell me if I promised not to get mad, so I agreed. He told me that he wants me to start working out because I'm getting fat.

Today, my boyfriend's mother called me. She assumed that I bought him a PS3 for Christmas, and she and the rest of his family have only purchased him games to go with it. The thing is, I already got him an expensive gift. Now, I have to scramble to come up with the money to get this for him instead, and save the coat I bought for his birthday.

Today, I told my mom that I wanted professional head-shots done for Christmas. When asked why, I said "I want to submit them to a modeling agency." My mom exchanged looks with my sister before laughing so hard that she wet herself.

Today, I went over to my mother-in-law's house to have dinner. I was excited she invited me, since I thought she didn't like me. I ended up hanging her Christmas lights in a snowstorm while they had s'mores by the fire.

Today, we had our annual office Christmas party. The theme of the party was "Ugliest Sweater". The winner was a sweater that I have an exact replica of in my closet. It's my favorite 'special occasion', 'family portrait' and 'holiday' sweater.

Today, I was on the phone with my mother. She asked me if I was going to make it to Christmas at home. I told her that I would try and make it home since it would be my grandma's last Christmas alive. To my luck, grandma was sitting in the car with my mother, and speaker phone was in use.

Today, my uncle got me a debit card and put one thousand dollars on it for my Christmas present. However, he forgot to activate the card. The recipt with the 14 digit activation code is in the garbage in Colorado.

Today, I work at a debt collections center and I had to call my own father. Merry Christmas.

Today, my entire extended family was over for Christmas. I opened a gift to see that it was a fruitcake and saw everyone looking at me, smiling. This is their way to tell me that they know I'm gay and that they accept me. I'm straight.

Chirstmas Wish List!

2010-11-21T21:26:00.004-06:00

Christmas is around the corner, and everyone has a few things that they like to get. But me? Oooh no. I want LOTS of things. Here's the wishlist my greedy little mind has come up with.

A Yarn Swift

Winding a hank of yarn without a swift requires a) A friend to hold it for you or b) using your knees. Unfortunately I don't always have the luxury of A and B takes a long time, so an umbrella yarn swift would be awesooome! They also have the wooden version which is a little prettier and probably better quality, but eh. I just want it to work.

pH Testing Strips

This may seem a bit odd, especially since I'm not a chemist or anything, but I recently learned that anything you put on your hair should have a pH of 4.0 - 7.0 but 4.5-5.5 is best to close the cuticles. Theres no way I can test my hair products and homemade leave in conditioner mixes without this!

Mandie and the Secret Tunnel

So, I read this whooole book series when I was a kid called Mandie mysteries, and now I just found out they turned it into a movie. MUST SEE! There's even a sequel. Eep! ^_^

HAIR STUFF!

Kinky Curly Knot Today and/or Curling Custard

Jojoba Oil

Castor Oil

Aloe Vera Juice

Besides the curling custard, these are all key ingredients to kimmaytube's leave in conditioner recipe! :)

Knee-High Chucks

Set of 4 Wire Storage Cubes

So, I've been having a problem with my cat knocking my my yarn out of its happy home in the bookshelf and them proceeding to BITE on it and drag it around. Might I mention that he did this with expensive alpaca yarn once? -_-

This picture is one knitter's solution to the same problem with her cat, and I just love it! And Wally World is offering free shipping on it too! squee! ^_^

Hmmmmm, thats actually all I can think of right now, but don't you worry, I'll be sure to add to it when other things come to mind ;)

5 reasons why handmade items are pricier than Walmart and WORTH it!

2010-11-15T13:00:00.000-06:00

1. Handmade items are...made by hand. The items I make aren't spit out by the thousands by some machine in China, I labor over them by hand usually for a few weeks before they're finished.

2. You have it your way. Try Going to Wal-mart and saying "I'd like a scarf with black and grey stripes with the stripes being about one inch wide each and the scarf length should be equal to my height. Also, I'd prefer if it was made out of machine-washable material." ....You won't leave happy.

3. Handmade items are unique. Ever bought something from JC Penney and then seen two other people wearing it that week? That is HIGHLY unlikely to happen if you buy a handmade item from me.

4. No sweat-shop guilt. My items are not made by poor children in Cambodia who get paid 30 cents a day. They're made by me!

5. Low environmental impact. My handmade items are not shipped in from Taiwan, burning fossil fuels and polluting the air. They're made right here in the United States.

"Tyler! What are all these 'handmade items' you keep babbling about?" you may ask. Well head on over to www.tylerhandmade.com and hopefully all of your questions will be answered. If you have any more, you can always ask me here :)

Happy Monday, everyone!

Oh so punny

2010-10-22T14:01:00.001-05:00

Some of you my remember by post about visual puns from much earlier this year. Well, I'm back with more puns to challenge your brain. See how many you can guess!

(hint: pay special attention to the numbers and the way the lines look)

(all found on somuchpun.com)

Answers

1. Duck Tape

2. F-bomb (like the F word)

3. Friendly fire

4. Lost control

5. Mug Shot

6. Tan (tangent) lines

7. Como te llama(s)? (The animal is a llama, and "como te llamas" means "what is your name" is Spanish)

8. A pimp and his hose (hos)

9. Watching a little football

10. Rubber duck E (rubber ducky)

Hope you had fun! Enjoy your weekend!

FAIL of the day

2010-10-14T20:31:00.000-05:00

Made a sale!

2010-10-06T21:29:00.002-05:00

I'm sorry, but I'm soooo excited because I've finally made a sale on Etsy, and I haven't in many many weeks. I almost gave up all hope, but a few days ago, I relisted a few items (without being sure if they were worth the 20 cent listing, lol) and tonight I made a sale!!!

This is what I sold

Red and Navy Scarf

Purdy, ain't it? :)

"But Tyler," you may say. "I'd like a scarf like that too. In my favorite colors--no! My team colors. Oooh, no! My school's colors. Heck why not one of each!!!"

If that is your problem, my dear reader, I can help. Just send me an email at madametj@gmail.com telling me what colors you'd like your scarf, and we'll work something out :)

In the meantime, you can always check out the other items I have available at www.TylerHandmade.com. I have just a few precious items up right now, but I'll be adding more all throughout next week.

Anyways, happy almost weekend everyone!

Why men should NEVER write advice columns

2010-09-27T20:47:00.001-05:00

Zoom to about 144% on your browser to read. Enjoy!

Fashion DIY: Hawt Summer shoes

2010-09-16T12:04:00.000-05:00

First up: Summer T-shirt Sandals

For this project you're need:
- flip flops (preferably used)
- scissors
- piece of chalk or marker
- craft knife
- heavy duty waterproof glue
- recycled t-shirts
- screw driver
- flat butter knife or thin plastic ruler to stuff fabric into the soles. (Not shown)
- clamps (or heavy books)

Grab your stuff and head over to annekata for the full tutorial!

"Tyler," you may say, "I'm sorry but that looks like waay too much work. And I didn't happen to have any waterproof glue or clamps hanging around, sorry."

Ok, ok. It's alright dear reader. For the lazy (ahem sorry, "time conservative") of those among us I've provided a quicker solution:

Tackalicious shoes

For this DIY creation all you need is a couple of boxes of thumbtacks and a pair of cheap wedges from Walmart or Payless. Before you know it, you've paid only about $25 (maybe less) and have created a $150 pair of shoes eerily similar to "The Tick" by Jeffrey Campbell on Karmaloop.

Stick to it 'till the weekend and enjoy your Thursday, all!

Wednesday Laugh: A Store for Husbands

2010-09-15T20:07:00.004-05:00

A store that sells husbands has just opened in New York City, where any woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates. You may visit the store ONLY ONCE!!! You may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may choose to go up a floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the Building! So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband?

On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1 - These men have jobs and love the Lord.

The second floor sign reads:

Floor 2 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, and love kids.

The third floor sign reads:

Floor 3 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, and are extremely good looking.. "Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.

She goes to the fourth floor and sign reads:

Floor 4 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop-dead good looking and help with the housework. "Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!"

Still, she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads:

Floor 5 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop-dead gorgeous, help with the housework, and have a strong romantic streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor and the sign reads:

Floor 6 - You are visitor 4,363,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please.

Ladies, what would your Floor 6 sign say? What about you, gentleman? What would it say for your Floor 6 ladies?

I think my Floor 6 sign would say "These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop-dead gorgeous, help with the housework, and have a strong romantic streak, are creativity, spontaneous, interact well socially, and have a great sense of humor"!

What You Didn't Know About YOU

2010-09-14T22:07:00.001-05:00

This is a little psychoanalysis test that one of my friend posted on Facebook (very reliable, I know. lol). I thought it was pretty interesting so I wanted to share it with you. I found some of the answers to by quite questionable, but most people who took it thought the results sounded very accurate. So grab a piece of paper and write down the VERY FIRST answer that comes to mind when you see the questions. Try to be specific. No peeking! Scroll down to the answers when you're done.

Answer the following questions with the first thought that comes to mind.

1. You are not alone. You are walking in the woods. With who?

2. You are walking in the woods. You see an animal. What kind of animal is it?

3. What interaction takes place between you and the animal?

4. You walk deeper in the woods. You enter a clearing and before you is your dream house, how big is it?

5. Is your dream house surrounded by a fence?

6. You enter the house. You walk in to the dining room and see a table. What’s on AND around it?

7. You exit the house and a cup is on the ground, what kind is it?

8. What do you do with the cup?

9. You walk to the edge of the property where you find yourself standing at river, how big is it?

10. How will you cross the water?

ANSWERS:

1. The person who you are walking in the woods with is the most important person in your life.

2. The size of the animal is representative of your perception of the size of the problems in your life.

3. The severity of the interaction you have with the animal is representative of how you deal with your problems.

4. The size of your dream home is representative of the size of your ambition to solve your problems.

5. A lack of a fence is indicative of an open personality. People are welcome atall times. The presence of a fence indicates a closed personality. You’d prefer people not drop by unannounced.

6. If your answer did NOT include food, flowers, or people, then you are generally unhappy.

7. The durability of the material with the cup is made of is representative of the perceived durability of your relationship.

8. Your disposition of the cup is representative of your attitude.

9. The size of the body of water is representative of the size of your sexual desire.

10. How wet you get in crossing the water is indicative of the relative importance of your sex life.

So what did you think of your answers? Bet you wished you listened to me when I said be specific, huh? lol. If you're curious (I'm sure you are) Here were my answers:

1. Vivin [my boyfriend]

2. dog

3. pet it

4. mini mansion

5. no

6. a floral centerpiece and several chairs

7. styrofoam

8. throw it away

9. farly small

10. jump

Interesting isn't it? Eh, I don't take it seriously. It was fun though :P Have a great week everyone! :)

"WHY ME?!" Embarassing Teen Stories

2010-09-02T22:16:00.000-05:00

"One day we were talking to a cute guy, and I had a lollipop in one hand and his iPod earphone in the other. Not looking or thinking, I put what I thought was the sucker in my mouth. He looked at me and said, ‘You just put my earphone in your mouth.’ After that, I never asked to listen to his iPod again."

"We were at the playground, and my little cousin was in a baby swing, so I went and sat in one too. I crammed my legs into the seat—and I got stuck. The only way to get out was to take off my jeans! I slid out of them and onto the ground while everyone watched. I realized there were security cameras taping the whole thing!"

"I had to go to the school nurse to give a urine sample. The nurse gave me a cup, and I went into the bathroom, but as I stood up, the cup was too full and I knocked it onto my book bag! The pee got all over my books. I tried to wipe off as much as I could, but when I took my seat in class, my crush told me I smelled like pee!"

"A cute guy in my class came over one night to study, and as we were doing research online, he clicked on a pic on my computer—it was a one of him from his MySpace page! I had e-mailed it to my friend earlier and forgotten to delete it. He looked at me and said, 'Um, are you stalking me or something?' I was so humiliated!"

"My cousin and I were having fun, dancing around the living room. We were doing the moves to 'Pop, Lock & Drop It' and as I went down to 'drop it,' my pants split right down the middle - just as my entire family walking into the room! Needless to say, I've definitely put my dance moves on hold for the time being."

"My boyfriend and his twin brother are on the lacrosse team, and I went to see them play. After the team won, I ran up to my BF and gave him a peck on the lips. He looked at me strangely for some reason—then I realized why! I'd gotten my boyfriend and his brother mixed up: I had just kissed his twin! I felt so bad!"

"I was at a glow-in-the-dark bowling party, so I wore a cute white v-neck. My crush was giving me all this attention and taking pictures of me. I went on Facebook later, where he had tagged photos of me. I realized my Powerpuff Girls bra glowed through my shirt! I de-tagged myself, but he won’t delete them!"

"I went over to my crush's and set my phone on the table while I went into the bathroom. When I came back, he looked sketched out. I didn't know why until I saw my phone sitting next to him with the screen was showing—it was a stalkarazzi-style picture of him! I felt like such a freak!"

Found on Seventeen.com

Funniest News Ever

2010-08-03T10:39:00.000-05:00

Rarely would I find news of an attempted rape to be funny, but you'll be smiling (at least!) after watching these two videos. I promise :)

How-To Tuesday: Alexander Wang Cage Dress

2010-07-20T19:03:00.001-05:00

Inspiration

Results

What you need:

1 large T-shirt
sharp scissors
patience and sticktoitiveness!

The How-to: click here for the tutorial! :)

Kool Aid + ..Yarn?? = An Interesting Experiment

2010-07-19T23:01:00.001-05:00

When I'd been knitting for about a year or so I read an article on Knitty (yes, I'm a knitting dork. lets all laugh :P) with a tutorial for how to dye your yarn in a crock pot. I just laughed thinking, Wow. Knitting is one thing, but I can't believe some people actually spin and dye their own yarn. Sheesh. Lets not take a good hobby too far here people. Sooo here we are 4 years later and I'm blogging about my first yarning dying experiment! :)

We start off with a simple little 2 gram hank of sock yarn. Hmm, what color to dye it though?

Oooh how about Strawberry Kiwi! That should make the white parts look pinkish and and give the blue parts a plurply look I'm guessing. Let's see how this turns out! :)

Ok, so the instructions say I should wash the yarn and soak it for a bit.

Alright now it says two packs of Kool Aid per 50 grams of yarn. My super awesome math guesstimation skills say about half 1/2 a teaspoon should do it.

Mix in a little water and I'm almost ready to toss the yarn in!

Ahhh ok. Apparently my super guestimation skills are a tad off. Definitely NOT enough color. Lets try another teaspoon of Kool Aid.

Perfecto!

Now for the mad scientist portion. Gotta zap my yarn baby in the microwave for 2 whole minutes. Eep!

Looks like the experiment was a success!

And the colors turned out just how I expected them to ^_^

And it looks quite cozy in my sock yarn blankie :)

July Is....

2010-07-08T22:10:00.001-05:00

National Ice Cream Month!

In honor of this special and oh-so-tasty holiday, I've put together a collection of ice cream inspired handmade items from artists on Etsy.com. Enjoy!

Strawberry Ice Cream Candle by kokocandles

Ice Cream Birthday Banner by DevinPrather

Ice Cream Scoop Soap by countrycraftsncandie

Ice Cream Journaling Spots by ChelseaVanTol

(not sure what journaling spots are, but these are cute!)

Ice Cream Bowls with matching spoons by LRStudio

Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Soap by sailormouthsoaps

Origami Thank You Card by tokyocrafts

Hot Fudge Sundae Candle by Culinarychiqconcepts

How-To Tuesday: 8 Uses for Men's Neckties

2010-06-29T15:44:00.012-05:00

A lot of us have several extra ties lying around. Especially since Father's Day was just about a week ago....

Here are some creative ideas for upcyling those ties and putting them to good use!

Necktie Skirt

Tie gadget cozy

Necktie Pillow

Tie a tie (hehe) around your waist and wear it as a belt. Easy!

Or tie one around your head to be worn as a headband. Just as easy!

Necktie Purse

Necktie Quilt

Happy how-to Tuesday, everyone! :)

Adopt a Shelter Cat Month

2010-06-28T23:18:00.002-05:00

Meowr. Hi, my name is Blaze. You may remember me from this post where I introduced myself and told you a few things about me.

One thing that you don't know about me is that my family adopted me from a pound.

This is what I looked like when my family brought me home.

I've had a wonderful life ever since then! Now...

I have plenty of toys to play with

Lots of laps to lie in

And board games to play.

Also, instead of lying a tiny cramped cage all day,

I have plenty of sinks and windows and floors and couches to lie on

And a nice yard to frolic in too!

I love my family! In honor of National Adopt a Shelter Cat month, I think you should adopt one of my friends from your local animal shelter. I'm sure they'll love your family as much as I love mine :)

Happy June 23!

2010-06-23T22:04:00.002-05:00

Happy June 23 everyone! There's lots of celebrity birthdays today including

Jason Castro

1987

Kris Allen

1985

Vivin

1989

and

Randy Jackson

1956

Ok, ok... so Vivin isn't actually a celebrity, he's my boyfriend (the guy who bought me all that awesome yarn for my birthday, remember?). But he's born on the same day as THREE American Idol people. Isn't that awesome (dawg)?! He turned 21 today, which means he's..

7670 days

184,079.8 hours

11,044,789.1 minutes and

662,687,343 seconds old

Dang, man! You're soo old!!!

Some quick trivia: on June 23, the US Secret Service was created (1860), Walt Disney's "Lady and the Tramp" was released (1955), and the Nintendo 64 went on sale for the very first time (1996). What a day!

Works in Progress: Blanket Obsession

2010-06-22T23:53:00.000-05:00

Ever since I started working on Shelly Kang's Sock Yarn Blanket, I've become obsessed with knitting Blankets!

I'm working on two sock yarn blankets (one with worsted weight acrylic yarn, another with actual sock yarn) and a 10 Stitch blanket (official pattern is on Ravelry, similar instructions can be found here as well).

Pixels of my loverly blankets to be:

This is the first blanket I've ever started for myself. I started it June last year and its been growing ever since! As you may notice... it looks a little lopsided. The squares take so long to make that sometimes I forget what colors I was gonna use on the next row, so I cheated and went ahead a little. :P

Here's my "actual" sock yarn blanket. I started it just last week :) I don't have much sock yarn so each of the colors was used about 3 times each for the first two rows. I can tell that this one is gonna take a while!

This is my 10 Stitch Blanket/Scrap Yarn Blanket/Ugly Blanket. I'm doing this to use up scraps and not worry about the blanket turning out pretty. In fact, I expect it to be ugly. lol :P This pattern is very interesting, though. Most blankets are worked across hundreds of stitches, but this one...only 10. Its basically one reeeally long strip that connects with itself. In the end it longs kind of like a long sqaure snake, like in the old video game... Snake.

Have a great week everyone! :)

Scene Diego: Banana Wireless Prank

2010-06-21T22:36:00.000-05:00

If the song from this video doesn't get stuck in your head..... psht, who am I kidding? It will. Trust me, it will. ;)

20th Birthday Report

2010-06-21T00:14:00.001-05:00

I had an awesome birthday! I ate out with my family and ended up with lots of goodies too! ^_^

Here are all the sweet pressies I got in the order I received them

The first gift came from by boyfriend. He gave it to me a couple of weeks ago when I visited him. It's 4 hanks of Mmmmalabrigo (you can see that I already started a project with one of them. Eager hands. lol :P) and 2 sets of double pointed needles. He just remembered me saying that Malabrigo was really nice yarn once. Even I didn't remember ever mentioning that to him! Awesome, right? Don't you love it when they listen? ^_^

The next one, believe it or not, came from someone I've never met! A RAK friend from Ravelry, LouieLouie, sent me two skeins of Noro Silk Garden and some Harajuku Lovers perfume! She even sent it by priority mail so that it would make it in time for my birthday. How sweet :)

After we were done eating at Nothing but Noodles, we went to Hobby Lobby and I treated myself to some yarn for a sock yarn blanket I recently started (pics coming soon!) I'm saving the two purple ones for a pair of socks though. Maybe. lol :P

While we were at Hobby Lobby, my mom got me this fancy vase to display yarn in. Here it is with my fancy smanciest yarns. Recognize any of them? :P

After Hobby Lobby, we went clothes shopping and I got

A top for church

A cute blue skirt

And a flowy dress for school.

So as you can see, I got plenty of things that were on my birthday wish list. Told you I had an awesome birthday! :D

"WHY ME?!" Life Horror Stories

2010-06-18T19:50:00.000-05:00

Today, I took my sandwich out of the microwave to find that the cheese had exploded, sending the bun flying and getting cheese everywhere. I just failed at making a cheese sandwich. I'm set to major in Culinary Arts next year. -foodfail. Massachusetts

Today, it was my birthday, and I was at work for my dad. He has been promising me a huge surprise that will show up at the office for months. I just saw the brand new Jeep he bought for me collide with another car on its way here. -Anonymos, Texas.

Today, I decided to pull a prank on my brothers, so i hid inside the cabinet in my room and waited for either of my brothers to come in. Apparently, my brothers saw me go inside the cabinet and so they locked me inside. it took me 4 hours to get out of the cabinet. -icefairy1104, Phillipines

Today, my math teacher told me to learn how to say "welcome to wal-mart". -Stevo, Washington

Today, I learned that you should never, ever, under any circumstance, take a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night. -emilygreeny, US

Today, I woke up in an emergency room. Why? I hyperventilated and passed out when I found out that my favorite video game is getting a sequel. -YouCouldFly, New Hampshire

Today, after breaking up with my boyfriend, some of my friends decided to take me to a comedy club for a girls night. My friend's jealous husband decided he had to come along, then decided to invite my other friends' boyfriends. I ended up being the seventh wheel on a night meant to cheer me up. -Anonymous, Ohio.

My Birthday Wishlist!

2010-06-15T23:54:00.002-05:00

photo by heatherkingdesigns

My birthday is tomorrow, June 16! I'll be celebrating the BIG TWO-OH! =)

Here's a list of a few things I might like to have around that time. *cough cough, hint hint* ;)

1. A sewing machine

This Janome Threadbanger one looks awesome, but this Walmart one is probably a little more realistic pricewise and will get the job done for the simple projects I'll be doing.

2. A new car (who wants to check this one off for me? lol)

Smart Cars are so cute! They're fuel efficient and easy to park, too. What I've heard about their safety ratings is a bit of a turnoff though, so I'll settle for a Pruis. I'm doing you a favor, I know.

.3. yarn, yarn, yarn.

As in...

Noro

Malabrigo

Cascade 220

I think you can see where I'm going with this. A nice trip to Yarn Expression should do me good.

4. clothes, clothes, clothes

As in....

Dresses

Tops

Skirts

...I can see that you're a fast learner. I'll move on.

5. A circular needle holder

by gomonkeydesign

Omgeezers I've been dying to get one of these for ages! I was gonna sew one myself, but you know how the laziness thing goes. :P

6. a purse

Some may say this belongs in the clothes, clothes, clothes section. But no. Purses are that important. I've been eyeing this one by Ecoist for quite some time.

And there you have it! I can't wait to see what you get me!! lol :)

101 in 1001 updates, June

2010-06-10T22:07:00.001-05:00

I've been accomplishing lots of things on my 101 in 1001 list! Here are the updates:

18. ~~Go bowling~~. Date completed: 5-22-10

26. ~~See Vivin over the summer.~~ Date completed: 6-3-10

28. B~~eat Vivin at a board game.~~ Date completed: 6-5-10

37. Read the New Testament (2/27)

51. Reach 20 sales on Etsy. (8/20)

56. ~~Get Moo cards.~~ Completed in April

57. Have 40 items listed on Etsy. (24/40)

62. ~~Take a reusable water bottle to school with me 10 times.~~ (10/10) Completed in April.

87. Reach 400 fans on Facebook (294/400)

88. Reach 3000 followers on Twitter (2153/3000)

89. Reach 500 followers on this blog. (247/500)

100. Learn 10 new words and use them often. (9/10) juxtapose, germane,serendipitous, aspersion, gumption, fruition, beguile,vendetta, gratuitous

I now have exactly 900 days left. Better get to it!

How-To Tuesday: Clothesline Caddy

2010-06-01T22:08:00.000-05:00

Spotted at The Long Thread.

This cute little caddy is perfect for holding pens, pencils, knitting needles, crochet hooks...almost anything you need within arm's length!

Here's what you'll need:

cans
pliers
clothesline [I'm curious about trying this with something different like yarn or fabric. hmmm...]
glue gun and glue sticks
scissors
masking tape

You're dying to make one of your own by now, aren't you? Ok, well calm down! Actually, no...don't calm down. Hurry up and click here to find the full tutorial and use all of that crafty energy while you've still got it!

"WHY ME?" Health Horror Stories

2010-05-27T23:29:00.001-05:00

Today, after over a year of intense diet and exercise, I finally lost 30 lbs and got into a size 0. When I was hanging out with my friends I told them the good news. The girls all congratulated me. One guy said, "You looked way hotter 30 lbs ago." The other 15 guys all agreed. -iwannabeamodel, Nevada

Today, I decided to lay out and tan. I fell asleep and got sun burned and bitten numerous times by mosquitoes.If I scratch my itch, the burn hurts terribly. If I don't scratch it, it itches terribly. -kaylajere, Texas

Today, my friend bet everyone at my lunch table that no one could catch the fly that was flying around our table.I reached up and caught it, and it stung me. It wasn't a fly, it was a wasp and I'm allergic to wasps.

Today, I was viciously attacked by a dog. Or to be more precise, by a miniature schnauzer named Princess. -puppy chow, Illinois

Today, I was limping down a wet street on my crutches. So that I wouldn't slip, I took small safe steps. As I try to avoid a puddle on the footpath, my crutches slip on a wet leaf and cause me to fall over onto my arm. My wrist is now sprained. The same wrist I need to use my crutches. -lostdans, Australia

Today, I showed my mom my new bikini I had just purchased. She slightly smiled and then went out shopping.Two hours later, she came home with slimfast, diet coke, and yoga dvds because I needed "help" for bikini season. -longlegs, New Jersey

Today, I was eating pizza with my boyfriend and my friends. I was laughing and talking and went for another piece when my boyfriend grabbed my wrist and said that I had had enough. My friends all backed him up. -fatgirl, US

Today, after taking a pregnancy test and carefully disposing of all the evidence so no one would find out, I realized I left the receipt for it on the bathroom counter. I noticed too late as I watch my mom step out of the bathroom, and my step-father go in right after. -Anonymous, Canada

Today, it was 95 degrees out. My cheap father refused to turn on the air conditioning, even after I passed out. -Super_Hot, US

Today, my mom decided our whole family is going on a diet. Why? Because the vet told us our dog is overweight, and she "didn't want Twix to suffer alone." -fatpooch, Canada

Today, I was yelled at for bleeding. My brother threw a baseball at me while I was studying with my headphones on, which broke one of my teeth. I was yelled at for getting blood on my new shirt and my brother's autographed baseball. I have to replace both of them. -Anonymous, New Mexico

All found on Fmylife.com

Disappointed in the Ravelry Community

2010-05-26T23:00:00.003-05:00

I was very disappointed in the Ravelry community yesterday. I started a thread in which I shared a suggestion, but others interpreted it as a "demand" rather than a "suggestion" and well...the thread just got pretty ugly from there on. As soon as I realized how my original post was interpreted I apologized and also edited that same post by adding an apology to it. However, this didn't do much because the attitude of the thread didn't change at all. A moderator even made an announcement for everyone to "stop bickering" which pretty much everyone ignored. I could see very early in the thread that the harsh comments that I was receiving were only going to get worse, so I sent a message to six moderators telling them that I was beginning to feel harassed and asking them to close the thread. I also flagged a few of the most offensive replies that were directed at me. None of the moderators responded to me at all. The flagged posts were never dealt with. About 6 hours after the initial moderator announcement, when the thread had grown to 130 comments and the argument had gotten much worse, a moderator finally locked the thread.

I'm disappointed in the Ravelry community because it seems like the amount of rude and uncalled for comments made in the forums is getting higher and higher each day, and that one must be afraid to share their personal opinion without getting attacked by dozens of people at once. I'm also disappointed in the moderators for not dealing with the situation promptly and habitually allowing bullying to occur in the main boards.

So here's my point:
I think that those of us that participate in online message boards--whether it be on Ravelry, Etsy, Craftster, wherever--need to remember that even though all we see is a computer screen, we're talking to real people that have real feelings, and that having good manners online is just as important as having good manners towards the people we speak with face to face.

So even if you have the chance to say the funniest, snarkiest, most sarcastic comment to gain sweet revenge against someone that has said something that you don't agree with, or even worse, someone who has challenged a statement of yours, the best thing to do is bite your tongue and turn the other cheek. ;)

How-To Tuesday: Quickie Paint Chip Bookmarks

2010-05-25T21:18:00.001-05:00

Here's a great idea I found on Care2 that's perfect if you want to do a very quick craft project and have some spare paint chips lying around! :P

For this project you will need:

paint chips

scissors

hole puncher

corner rounder (optional)

now head over to Care2 for the tutorial! :)

Green Tip of the Day: Eat Local

2010-05-24T22:52:00.001-05:00

1. Buy Local, Grill Local
Farmers' markets open soon, if they haven't already opened for the season. Choose your meal based on what's in season now, and available locally. Aim to buy as much as possible food grown and produced within 100 miles of home.
Need a jump-start in finding all things local? Use the 100-Mile Diet Mapping Tool to define your target area. Then, use Local Harvest to find local farms and farmers' markets in your neighborhood.

2. The Substitute You'll Actually Pay Attention To
Some summer favorites just aren't available yet. Try these worthy substitutes until the harvest catches up with your appetite. Although there's really no substitute for sweet corn, how about grilling asparagus? It's quick, easy, and the grilled flavors this venerable veg evokes simply can't be beat.
Have a hankering for crisp, cool watermelon? Sub in strawberries — they're ripe for the picking (and eating). Tired of waiting for "everything tomato?" Try our white gazpacho soup recipe that uses lots of garlic instead and will make your calendar-watching days a little more tolerable.

See the full article on The Daily Green

Happy Monday! :)

"WHY ME?" Child Horror Stories

2010-05-21T17:24:00.000-05:00

Today, my wife and I took our two-year-old to an amusement park. Twenty minutes after shelling out the big bucks for the ride bracelets, my kid starts crying inconsolably. I'm nominated to take him home. My wife is now calling me every twenty minutes to tell me how much fun she's having while I clean up diarrhea. -Jeffro, South Carolina.

Today, after searching for my real mother, I found out that my biological mother wasn't a drug addicted teenager. No, my biological mother is the one I grew up with for twenty-four years, who always told me I was adopted. -Anonymous, California.

Today, I'm babysitting a friend's children. There are 6 wild kids altogether. After two hours of them running wild, screaming, and destroying my things, they managed to lock me in the bedroom. I can't get the door open, I'm on the second story, and my friends won't be back until the morning. -Anonymous, Illinois.

Today, I found out that my son has been using my American Express card I keep in a drawer for emergencies and has been hiding the bill when it comes in the mail. He's been doing this for four months and has charged over $3,000. -newlybroke, US

Today, I lectured my second-grade class to be more descriptive in their writing. I gave them an assignment to describe something in the classroom. I was grading their work later, and one student wrote, "My class is taught by a fat teacher with gray hair." -Teaching26, Virginia.

Today, I found out that my teenage daughter isn't really pregnant, and only said she was in the hopes of my husband and I throwing her out of our home. -sadmum, Australia

Today, I discovered my eight-year-old decided to turn off the freezer... yesterday. So for Mother's Day, instead of not cooking anything, I'll be cooking EVERYTHING. -minnamouse, Alabama

Today, my little brother thought that it would be funny to put my Xbox games in the toaster and melt them. This was the day I was going to sell my Xbox and games to get an engagement ring for my girlfriend. -Xbox Raped, UK.

Today, my daughter started crying at the mall. My daughter is 17, and she was crying because I wouldn't buy her 'Hello Kitty' stickers. -HelloKittyHater, Washington.

Today, a group of kids with their teacher were walking by me. One of them pointed at me and asked their teacher if I was a boy or girl. The teacher responded with, "That's a boy." Wrong. -t, Maryland

Father's Day Gift Ideas

2010-05-20T13:37:00.001-05:00

Father's Day is coming up!!! ...You forgot, didn't you? Well, in case you did, Father's day is June 20 this year. This means you have exactly one month (31 days) to find the perfect gift! Don't give him another tie. Let's try being a little more original, shall we? :P I've picked some awesome, unique items from Etsy.com that would make perfect gifts. See if you find something he'll love!

Personalized Dad T-shirt by zoeysattic

Stainless Steel Money Clip by VersatilElements

Freakin Awesome Dad card by pairedhearts

Stacking Mustache Mugs by UptownAvenue

Knit cell phone/camera/mp3 cozy by TylerHandmade (that's me!)

Personalized Guitar Pick by jcjewelrydesign